Scientist's Don't Run
by LiP SMACKERs
Summary: A robotic prosthetic limbs specialist is faced with difficult decisions and forced to live a life on the run after being unknowingly involved in H.Y.D.R.A's scheme. A certain soldier she helped escape forced memory loss has remembered he owes a young woman a favor. Lame explanation, just testing out characters. R&R. ((Rating may change.))
1. Invasion

_((Some changes have been made to make this work so don't be surprised if so-n-so are alive haha. Enjoy! ))_

"_Miss Norton, how is the blueprint coming for that new prosthetic arm?" A deep voice called from behind the young woman who was currently making side notes on a large piece of paper. She jumped in her chair and quickly turned to face Jasper Sitwell, the man who had hired her to take part in a government job that was too top secret for her to have details but not so much that they couldn't hire someone like her. She stared at him with soft green eyes, uncertainty lingering in them. _

_Swallowing hard she pushed her long black hair from her mocha colored skin, "I'll be done with it tomorrow." She said turning her chair around to give him her full attention. _

_His expression seemed to grow disappointed, "Will you be able to start tomorrow as well? A problem has come up and we need to work with urgency now." _

_Chloe frowned, "Um…do you have all the parts ready?" She asked, standing from the computer chair. _

_Sitwell sighed, "We have the subject ready. We need you to operate as soon as possible." _

"_Subject?" She eyed him warily; she was never supposed to work on anyone. She was there to design a robotic prosthetic limb that could help soldiers get back into war and be stronger. Chloe didn't exactly agree with the idea of sending amputees back into war but she had her reasons for accepting the job. "Sir, I've never worked on anyone before. Surely someone here is more experienced to do that than I am, I just make the blueprints. " _

"_We did have someone," he said reaching around his back and pulling out a gun, holding it in her face. "They're dead now, so we need you." _

_Chloe screamed and dropped down in a squatting position, holding her hands up in surrender, "Sir, please! I'm not qualified to operate, someone else, just hire someone else!" A glimpse of someone coming inside the small office caught her eye and she nearly sighed in relief. "Thank God, Brock, please—" _

_Wordlessly he grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled her to her feet, ignoring her cry of pain. "Just do what you're asked." He growled leading her out of the room. _

_They walked down many corridors and went down a few elevators she hadn't known existed before they reached the lower level. She had cried and pleaded several times but they ignored her every word. What had she gotten herself in to? She was supposed to be working for people who wanted to make the world better, had she been lied to all along? Was she foolish for not asking more questions, knowing the job was too good to be true. _

_A scientist approached them as they walked towards a closed off room. He looked nervous and was unexplainably sweaty, "Sir, he's ready to be wiped but we're having problems with the machine. The crash is starting to take its toll." _

_Rumlow gripped her hair tighter and shoved her in the scientist's direction, "We've got her." He said nodding for him to open the door. When the bald man did Rumlow started barking orders at once, "Everyone out!" _

_People were working frantically around the room, pulling files and messing with cords that were under the flooring. "Fix this shit, we'll be back with the parts for his arm." Rumlow growled, releasing her hair with a shove that nearly sent her stumbling to the ground. Her eyes finally fell on him. Seeing the arm made of nothing but metal it didn't take a genius to know she was going to be working on him, the expression on his face was unreadable but she could feel anger seeping out of every pore. _

"_Don't look at him, don't speak to him, do not touch him until we are back, is that clear?" Sitwell had a serious look in his eyes that gave her chills and she nodded. He scoffed, "Good." His eyes flashed to the man strapped to the chair, "If she so much as mutters to you, kill her." _

"_What!" Chloe went to ran after them but being at the other end of a gun could really stop a person in their tracks. "This isn't what I signed up for! You can't just force me to do your dirty work! I won't!" _

_A laughed echoed in the now silent room, the only sound was an electrical hum. "I _can_ force you to do what I please and you _will_ fix the goddamn machine so you can get to work! I will kill your family, slowly, one by one, peel their flesh from their bones and make you listen to them scream if you don't fix the fucking problem in here." His voice was like venom and it sent chills all the way down her spine and up again. _

_The two men left the room, shutting the door behind themselves and Chloe stood there, staring at the door for several moments before she turned and started searching the room for another exit. Banging her fist on the walls and pushing against them, hoping there was a secret way out but nothing budged, but that didn't stop her from trying. _

"_You're wasting your time." _

_Her body froze and she looked over her shoulder hesitantly at the man strapped to the chair. Swallowing hard she slowly made her way around him before standing in front of him. She eyed him warily unsure of whether or not she could trust him. But seeing as he was strapped down, they didn't trust him either._

_Speaking quietly so no one could hear outside the room, she glanced back before looking in his gray eyes, "Will you really kill me if I speak to you?" _

_He leaned forward, as much as the restraints allowed, "Do you really want to find out?" _

Chloe woke with a start shooting straight up from her slumber, covered in a light sheen of sweat and panting. Why was she still dreaming about that? Her hand subconsciously touched a scar on her leg as deep thought crept into her mind, but she stifled it. It was too early to think of anything but sleeping more but she knew if she laid down she would only find herself finishing the dream she wished she didn't have to have. With a deep sigh she pushed the dark covers away from her body and she stepped onto the hardwood floor and sleepily walked out of her room and into the kitchen.

After everything had happened with H.Y.D.R.A., Chloe had been compensated for her suffering and to keep quiet. Only eight months had passed and it seemed like things were finally starting to settle down out there, in New York, but things hadn't calmed down in her mind. At first everyday had been a struggle for her but as time went on some days were just better than others. During the time recovering she had spent her twenty fourth birthday in a hospital playing cards with one of the nurses who had actually been very kind. Moving back home with her parents probably would have been the smart thing to do but she couldn't bring herself to tell them that she had been evolved with something so evil and inhumane.

Pulling the fridge opened she squinted at its brightness before finding an unopened bottle of water and twisting it open before taking a small sip. Maybe she should catch up on reading to kill time?

As she closed the fridge something glimmered from the corner of her eye and her heart instantly leapt to her throat she laid eyes on a man. Drawing in breath as an immediate reaction she opened her mouth to scream, water bottle falling from her hands as she stumbled towards the ground.

Then, it all happened in the same motion. A hand clapped over her mouth gently and the other caught the water bottle before snaking an arm around her back before she hit the ground. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and her heart was beating so quickly it was sure to pop at any moment. Green eyes locked with gray as she stared into the face of a man she never thought she'd see again and quite frankly she really hadn't wanted to.

James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier.

He slowly set her water down before laying her on the ground, his body nearly laying on top of hers as his eyes drifted from her to the hall that led to her front door. She shook her shoulders in hopes to get his attention but they were still looking off. The familiar jiggle of her doorknob sent her on high alert and she struggled beneath him.

Looking down at her with exasperated eyes he shook his head before pressing his finger to his lips. Against her will she nodded and he slowly removed his hand from her mouth. Without hesitation, Chloe scooted away from him and grabbed a long knife from the block on her counter, and pointed it at him, hand shaking, still kneeling on the ground. James eyes flashed dangerously at her, she knew what she had just done was absolutely moronic and was honestly surprised he didn't just kill her instinctively. Maybe he wasn't here for that?

"What are you doing here?" Why was she even talking to him? She saw what he could do, what kind of things he was capable of. "Are you here to make sure I—" He was behind her before she could even finish her sentence, his hand covering her mouth again. She could feel him breathing by her ear and she shivered against her will. "Be…quiet." He said barely above a whisper.

Her fear redirected itself and she realized he wasn't there to kill her, not yet anyways. She turned her head to face him, "What's happening? Please, I can't jus—" His growl silenced her and she felt him push her down to the ground as a small knife hit the cupboard she had been kneeling in front of. "Just can't keep your mouth shut." He said pulling a knife from his boot and throwing it out in the direction the other knife had come from.

"How can I when I don't know what's going on?" She hissed, standing from the ground only to be pushed down again, the knife falling from her hand. "Stop doing that!"

"Give her up and we'll let you live," a familiar voice called from around the corner. Chloe's eyes widened as she moved behind James now, still ducked down since he clearly wanted her that way.

"Brock?" His voice was unmistakable, the anger in it.

"It's been a while, Chloe." He said leaving the shadows of her hallway, "Sitwell needs you again, pack up."

"You can't just come in my apartment and order me around." She said glaring at him.

Rumlow laughed, "Don't start being brave now. If _he _weren't here you would comply with every word I say so how about we just pretend his isn't."

"Why does Sitwell want me? I thought you were all in custody? How did you find me?" She needed answers, if she was going to run she needed to why and where to go, she couldn't just go with it, there needed to be information behind her every decision, a reason why.

Rumlow rolled his eyes, "We need your expertise again."

Chloe took a small step forward but James shifted his body so it was as if she hadn't taken a step at all. She ignored it, "Why?" Her eyes shifted to James briefly. He was the only person she had ever truly worked on and he didn't seem like he needed it now and he obviously hadn't come with Rumlow. So what was he doing here? Had he been following her? She shuddered at the thought.

"I'm not interested in helping him or any of you." Which left her with the question of why was James in her apartment as well? He held his hand out in front of her and took careful steps towards the living room, silently urging her to follow and she did.

Rumlow laughed again, a darkness growing in his eyes. "Stand down soldier; we aren't here for you, not yet anyway. Remember, you belong to H.Y.D.R.A."

James's nostrils flared and he glowered at Rumlow, "I don't belong to anyone."

Rumlow leaned his head to the side, "Move in boys." The sound of boots stomping in made Chloe's knees weak as memories wracked her brain. She gripped the back of James black shirt to steady herself as they neared the corner of her living room.

_Chloe banged on the door that she had entered, "I'm-I'm not fixing this…whatever it is!" She shouted. "They're going to kill me anyways." Her hand rested on the metal door and her forehead followed. But the thought of her family screaming in pain was plaguing her mind; she couldn't have that on her conscious. Wiping the tears from her eyes she turned towards the man in the chair. Die now or die later, those were her options and either way she wasn't walking away. "What does this do?" She asked walking over to him. He looked up and she stopped, fear struck her hard at the warning he had in his gaze. _

"_L-look, no matter what I do here, they're going to kill me and if this machine is to kill you, I'm not going to fix it." She said watching him cautiously now. "You help me and I'll help you." If he even needed help, he didn't exactly look overjoyed to be sitting there. _

_He continued staring at her which only made the panic intensify, she swallowed hard and took another small step towards him, beginning to grow desperate, "please." _

_It was impossible to know what he was thinking just looking at him; his eyes were directly on her, unmoving. It was if he was staring into her and not simply at her. It didn't seem like he was going to answer her at all and she remembered what his direction was, "Fine," she said dropping to her knees and reaching for the cords in the floor, "I'll just fix it and save my own ass." _

_A moment passed with her fiddling with the cords before he spoke, "You're a terrible liar." _

_Chloe stopped moving and continued staring down at the floor before she slowly looked up at him. "Excuse me?" Had he been speaking to her? It was more of a reaction than a genuine question; there was no one else in the room, so he had to be speaking to her. _

"_You are a terrible liar." He said again, almost annoyed he had to repeat himself. _

"_I wasn—" _

"_Its your eyes," he said, cutting her off, "they're unsure or you look somewhere else, it gives you away." _

_Chloe adjust herself so she was sitting with her legs tucked under her bottom and facing him, "Well if you can tell when I'm lying, you know that my offer to help you is true." She said trying not to sound desperate_

"_Why would you offer to help me when they just told me to kill you?" Civilians were strange to him. She knew nothing about him and all the people he had assassinated over the decades and yet without question as to who he was she held out a hand, offering to aid him. He wasn't threatened by her, then again no one made him feel threatened, and he could tell she had just been caught up in a web of lies and was tangled now. _

"_It's a memory wipe," he began, "That's all I really know other than it's for me." _

_Chloe frowned, "Why are they trying to erase your memories?"Who would do such a thing? What were they trying to keep him from remembering? _

"_I've done a lot of horrible things to people; they want to keep me willing to do those things." He said, never relaxing. _

_A shiver ran down her spine and she shuddered. Was she really about to help this man? "Would I be safer only helping myself?" _

_He didn't hesitate to answer, "Yes." What was the point in lying? He didn't intend on harming her though, he would gain nothing from it. _

_After a moment of contemplating her options she stood from the ground and walked towards him, "If you kill me make it quick." She said grabbing a screwdriver and jamming it into the back of the machine that held him and after a quick spark the locks on him released only before the machine sparked further and before she could process what was happening she saw his body in front of her and she flinched away from him, putting her arms in front of her face to try and block anything coming her way. But instead she felt arms around her as her feet were removed from the ground. Smoke swallowed them up and heat threatened to sear her skin. Her body twisted in the air before collapsing with another on the ground. _

_Shaking her head all she heard was a high pitched ringing that was making her dizzy. She opened and closed her eyes a few times trying to stop her blurry vision but it didn't help. _

"_You probably shouldn't have blown it up." _

_((Lemme know what you think. This is a pilot; I suppose is the best word. Just testing these two out. ))_


	2. Out We Go

**A/N: ((Thank you crystaljoygmagic, BarbarafromGR, Guest, and Breadwing** ** for your interest! I'm very excited to continue this. **

**To Breadwing: I was reading up on his history and Steve is actually the one who confronts him and he gets his memory back that way so that's how it's going here. And thank you again, I didn't want him to be a hardcore guy but be all 'oh sweetcheeks, darling, bbeife' haha. Also, I'm glad you said something about that! I changed it a little, I didn't mean drop directly to the ground, like belly to the floor, more like ducking and staying ducked down. I think a normal reaction would to be 'get out of the way of a bullet' even though they could just re-aim but who thinks of that in that moment? Haha. Hope that makes sense. Hope that made sense.**

**Anyway haha. I'd love more feedback guys, this is my first time writing with Chloe so I'm still figuring her out (let my charies do that writing haha) so tell me what you think! Feedback helps me. Enjoy! [I didn't proof read very detailed, don't shoot me]))**

_Chloe frowned through her disarray, "I didn't mean to blow it up." _

"_Look at me." He stood from the ground, helping her up as he did. _

_Chloe tried to focus, "Which one?" She frowned further thinking she heard a chuckle through all the noise of sparks and metal clanging onto the ground. _

"_It's just vertigo, it'll go away." He said grabbing her wrist roughly and pulling her forward. Chloe resisted for a moment and tried to mask her pained sound but he heard it, his ears were trained to pick up on small noises. He glanced back at her and saw that her arm was tense and she was leaned back slightly. Slowly, he eased his hold on her wrist and saw her relax. That was good enough for him. _

"_Listen, I don't want to be held up by you for anything so stay by me if you don't want to die because I won't come to save you." He put his metal arm on the door and sunk his fingers into it with ease. "You helped me, so I'll help you. Nothing more." _

_The ringing in her ears had faded and her eyes fell on his arm, "Wait a minute, wasn't something wrong with your arm?" She asked not wanting it to fail while they were out there. _

_He glanced down at it, "I don't know, they fix it and I use it." _

_Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes "Let me look first. She said reaching up and messing with it. _

_His eyes snapped towards the door and he took several steps back, putting his arm out in front of her. "You better make it quick." _

The feeling of hard, cold glass startled Chloe back into reality and she glanced behind her looking down at the city below. It was her least favorite part about her apartment, the ceiling to floor windows that took up three feet of what could have been wall and now it left them with nowhere to go. Rumlow's lackeys had marched into her apartment, guns aimed high and their fingers itching to pull the trigger. She felt like she was going crazy with questions that she knew if asked would stay unanswered. But how was she supposed to leave her life in this man's hands?

Because she had done it before.

"Last time I'm going to warn you, _Buck_, move away and we'll let you live for now." He said talking cautious steps forward. "You're lucky I'm giving you a warning."

"That's a mistake." James said and without warning the glass behind them shattered and in the same instant she found herself twisting through the air. In a state of shock Chloe didn't react at first, her eyes old remained wide until she realized she was falling, seven stories from her apartment building. A scream built in her chest and the ability to stifle it was lost to her. Her scream ripped through the sky, the few passerbyers pulling their phones out to watch the pair as James twisted through the air, mostly using his metal arm to slow there fall against the building, tearing chunks out on the way down.

They hit the cement with a loud thud with Chloe's body being crushed against his own, her face buried in his chest. "We've stopped." He said, shaking her lightly.

She slowly peeled herself away from him, still shaking and her mouth hung open as if she were going to say something but she was at a loss for words.

Moving quickly he neared the edge of the road next to several parked cars and pushed her beneath one with the most space beneath it, some thugged out lifted car on rims that were much too big. Chloe didn't protest at first until he climbed under with her and moved so he was over her.

He could tell she was still in shock from the fall, "Are you okay?" His eyes shifted to the street where little red dots were littering the sidewalk.

She nodded and that was good enough for him. They were too close for comfort, she didn't know if she should say anything or stay quiet, and still unsure of what to say she just kept her mouth shut. His body was pressed against hers, his legs on either side of her legs. But he didn't even seemed phased by it.

When the lights disappeared he slowly crept from underneath the car, lending her his hand and helping her out as well. "Questions later, we need to move." He grabbed her wrist firm but in that same instant he loosened his grasp, glancing back at her before pulling her forward.

Chloe shook her head, blinking away tears and she followed him. "Where are we going?"

"It's not safe to say." He said picking up speed and Chloe did her best to keep up, but he was fast.

After turning the corner he pulled her in the direction of an alley and instantly she began to panic until she remembered who she was with. Within the alley there was a black SUV van waiting and without missing a beat the back doors opened and James nearly tossed her inside, shutting the doors behind them. Chloe stumbled onto the bench inside the van, her hands steadying her before she turned to sit on the cushioned seat. She was breathing heavily, "Here, drink this." A different low voice spoke now, handing her a bottle of water.

Lifting her eyes from the water her eyes landed on a man she never thought she'd see in person. Her eyes widened and she reached for the water slowly. "Captain America?" The van peeled out of the alley and onto the main street, blending in with traffic.

The blue eyed man chuckled, "Steve Rogers, ma'am." He held his hand out and Chloe shook it hesitantly.

"You feel pretty real for a dream." She said with a small laugh.

Steve frowned now and James shook his head, "A dream?" Steve questioned.

Chloe nodded and took a sip of the water, finally feeling her chest return to a normal rhythm. "Yeah, are successions of imagine, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep."

Steve chuckled again, "I know what dreams are, I'm wondering why you think you're dreaming?"

Chloe fell silent for a moment, sadness in her eyes. James looked over to her and watched her carefully though he did so discreetly. After a moment she shrugged, "Just makes it easier to accept all of this."

"Well regardless of what you _think_, this is very real," James said, sitting up straight from his previous leaning position, he leaned back, sitting in a relaxed pose. "Shouldn't your dreams be fuzzy and pink or something anyway? Why would you dream about me?" He spoke down on the idea as if it was ridiculous.

Chloe looked at him in disbelief, "Are you seriously asking me that question?" She nearly shouted. "You're all I dream about, these past eight months you've been in all my dreams _and_ nightmares." Her eyes finally locked with his and she couldn't mask the pain in them. It hadn't been just a day's worth of events and they went separate ways and that was that. After they escaped that day, it had taken them a month to avoid detection and finally get back, at least her, back to normal. God knew what he was doing for the past eight months.

The look on his face was hard for her to read so she didn't bother trying to decipher it. "I'm not stupid; I know I'm not dreaming…I just wish I was." She said leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin her palm. "Why were those men in my apartment?" She needed questions answered and she figured now would be the time to ask.

"H.Y.D.R.A. runs deep," Steve began, "Even though Pierce was taken down there were still plenty of followers that aren't going to let it go down so easy." He glanced at James who seemed to be deep in thought. "You were a valuable asset to them and along with a few others they are trying to forcefully recruit you to work for them again."

Chloe frowned, "Had I known what they were doing I wouldn't have worked for them in the first place."

Steve held his hand, "No one is judging you, and you weren't the only innocent person who worked for them." When he saw her relax he continued, "Bucky has been working as a double agent to get as much information from them as possible, but last month Rumlow found out about him so now he is strictly S.H.I.E.L.D."

Chloe interrupted him, "Bucky?"

James chuckled now, "That's me."

Chloe looked at him with a strange expression and he rolled his eyes, "Steve and I are from the same time," he explained. "We were friends, good friends."

"Do you remember now?" She asked warily.

He shook his head, "Not everything…not a lot. But I remember Steve." There wasn't a day that went by where he was overwhelmed with guilt at the actions and deaths he had been a part of in the past few decades. Something he never would have done had H.Y.D.R.A never gotten their hands on him. It was difficult; he had been altered in ways but was still the same, right? He didn't really know the answer to that but feeling bad about things was a good sign he figured. It was just hard adjusting after being a certain way for so long.

Chloe tapped her foot on the ground and looked around at nothing particular, "What?" James asked, recognizing that body language. He remembered the month they spent surviving, it had not been a pleasant experience for either of them, and he was just more accustomed to it than she was.

She shook her head, "Nothing."

His eyes narrowed but he didn't press her on the matter, not in front of Steve anyways.

Changing the subject she spoke up again. "Where are we going and for how long? What does Sitwell want with me exactly? All my notes are still there and I thought they were in custody."

Before Steve could respond James jumped in, "You still ask so many questions." He said exasperated even though she wasn't even speaking to him.

Chloe frowned, "_I_ need to know these things, not everyone can run around willy nilly." She fumed.

James's frowned deepened, "Willy nilly…" He understood the phrase but it sounded strange coming from her. Steve laughed but the look Chloe gave him silenced him quickly and he mumbled a quick apology.

Clearing his throat he gained her attention again, "To answer your questions, we are going to S.H.I.E. base to meet with Fury and staying there until this situation clears up as far as what Sitwell wants…" He looked to James.

"After the damage was cleared and everyone was recovered, Sitwell had suffered some serious injuries. He needs your expertise…" James finished.

Chloe laughed in disbelief, "He can rot in hell for all I care, trying to kill all of those people." She looked to James. "You've been around them for the past seven months?" She shook her head, "Why didn't they kill you after everything? Did they ask questions? Did you tell them where I was?"

"Which question do you want answered first?" He asked with amused eyes and eyebrows raised.

"Just answer them in order, this may be fun and games for you all but this is my _life_, I only have one and unfortunately can't afford to be frozen for seventy years." She felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes, "Just stop the van and let me out, I'm not going to be locked away like a rare animal." She stood from her seat and reached for the doors but before she could blink her arms snatched down to her sides and she turned to glare at James. "Let me go, James. A month was long enough having to hide I'm not doing it again and for god knows how long. I'd rather be fucking dead."

He pulled her down in front of him ignoring her trying to pull out of his grasp, "I didn't let you die then and I'm not going to let you die now, Chloe, so sit down and just go with it. We aren't doing this to punish you we are doing it to protect you."

"You're hurting me." She said tugging her hands again and he let go. Rubbing her wrists she sat down beside him again silently wiping the tears from eyes.

"We're almost there…" Steve said softly. "Just trust us and try not to worry."

Easier said than done…


	3. Changes

**((Been a looong time but it's back from the dead ha. Read and Review please c: ))**

Once they arrived at the base the van stopped and the two men stood, opening the doors and stepping out. Turning to wait for her as she stood cautiously she saw both of their eyes on the ground with their brows furrowed together. What was so interesting? Looking down at the ground she didn't see anything at first until she took a step away from the bench and saw the blood on the floor. It had flowed down her leg and collected at the base of her foot, it was at least the size of her palm and it instantly made her dizzy. Her head snapped away from the mess but her body was already reacting. She put her hand to her chest hoping to calm herself down as she turned away from the door, using her other hand to touch the side of the van to steady herself. Two arms grabbed her by her shoulders and started to move her but she resisted.

"Move, we need to get that fixed." James voice came from behind her. He knew how she felt about blood very well, having had to lug her around a couple times when they had been on the run together. Why he didn't just leave her, he didn't know. But he wasn't that person now, he didn't want to think that way.

Chloe didn't want to see where the blood was coming from, she was afraid if she did she would feel the pain and she definitely didn't want that. "Is it bad?" She asked turning around to face him, her arm snaking around the back of his neck, his arm tucking itself behind her back and around to her front. She couldn't tell where he looked and she didn't need to know where.

He paused for a minute. "It's not, it's just glass."

Her head snapped in his direction, "glass?" She nearly yelled but quickly bit her tongue. "That could have been avoided." She said under her breath, but he heard.

"You're right, we could have stayed in your apartment and let them make swiss of us." He said stepping out of the van before turning back to her, grabbing her by the hips and hoisting her down to the ground.

Ignoring his comment she was careful to keep most of her weight on one leg but now that she was aware of the injury the pain was becoming ever-present. "Ohhh, okay, okay, okay." She chanted under her breath to keep calm. There was something about blood that bothered her so deeply, it was absolutely dizzying. She wouldn't go as far as saying paper cuts or a scraped knee made her faint, but actual wounds were another story. It was like watching someone's life leave them, it was unnerving.

"We need to take her to the infirmary." Steve said glancing over Chloe's shoulder. She turned to see where he was looking and squinted in the distance.

"Can I walk there?" She really didn't want to.

James spoke first, "You really think that's a good idea?" The way he said it made the answer seem obvious. Suddenly a frown formed on his face, "Why aren't you wearing your contacts?"

Chloe turned her head back in his direction, "Still observant as ever." She muttered.

"You were squinting. Doesn't take a genius to put two and two together." He retorted.

Without another word Chloe turned and started a slow walk to the direction Steve had peered in.

"Bucky, go debrief with Fury about the mission, I'll take her." He said moving to Chloe's side. He took a step in front of her and reached his arms out, "May I?"

Glancing back at a retreating solider she turned to Steve and nodded, "Please."

\\\\\/\\\\\/

Inside of a spacious and well-lit office sat Director Nick Fury. He sat leaned back in a thick cushioned office chair, his elbow resting on the arm rest, chin in palm; a contemplative look on his face. He was waiting for a certain agent to come and update him on the whereabouts of one of H.Y.D.R.A's many victims and active targets. After everything with the Helicarrier's they had worked hard to dig up any agent that had a tie to H.Y.D.R.A and eliminate or apprehend them. It disturbed the Director that so many had been unearthed but with the assistance of Agent Barnes, the process had gone faster than it would have otherwise. There was always a sense of distrust with him however. It had nothing to do with him, just the bang up job H.Y.D.R.A did on brain washing the American Hero.

A knock on his door grabbed him from his thoughts and he swiveled in his chair to face his desk which was in the direction of the door. "Enter." His gruff voice echoed in the room.

With a quick push the door opened and Agent Barnes entered the room, "Director." He greeted walking towards his desk in long strides.

Fury nodded to him as a greeting and gestured his hand out for him to take a seat. "How did the mission go?" He didn't really need to ask, he knew that the girl was on base but he wanted details.

Bucky sat in the chair across from his and sat upright, so formal, "It didn't go as smoothly as desired, sir, but I obtained the target."

Director scoffed, "Target? You mean Ms. Norton?"

An obvious frown formed on Bucky's face, "Yes sir."

"I don't think she'd appreciate being called a target," Fury explained.

Bucky remained silent. After having spent so much time with her and then suddenly being separated it was hard to refer to her in a personal way. He was thankful for the time spent with her, she had kept him grounded in his journey to find Steve. It wasn't likely he would ever bring that up, he was sure she knew, maybe. Honestly, it was a little awkward being around her again. There had been moments of vulnerability shared between the two of them and it had been decades since he had shared that with someone. But eight months had passed, maybe she had forgotten everything.

"Have you discussed anything with her? I'm sure she has made assumptions, if I remember correctly she's inquisitive to say the least." Fury stood from his chair, his arms habitually made their way behind his back, his hands clasping together.

"Steve took her to the infirmary," he wasn't going to explain until his saw the Director's eyebrow quirk. "We had to make a quick getaway, the injury is very minor."

Fury sighed, "Well, let's have them meet us in the conference room and we can update her on everything."

Bucky stood and nodded, "Sir."

As they walked to the door Fury spoke up again, "So there's no surprises, I'm assigning her under your protection until this blows over."

"Is that really wise sir? No disrespect, but she is too comfortable with me." He pulled the door open for Fury, "Listening to me is not on her list of priorities."

Fury laughed, "Not up for the challenge Agent?"

Bucky couldn't help but smile, "If you insist sir."

\\\/\\\/

"Okay, you are all set to go, Ms. Norton." The doctor on duty said with a polite smile. She was a petite blonde with the straightest teeth known to man. "It really wasn't too deep, just try to be careful for a few days and come back in nine days to get the stitches taken out." She had walked over to toss the instruments used to sew her up. "I'll send antibiotics to you after I get it all packed but for now you are free to go."

After a moment Chloe finally released Steve's hand and pushed herself up so she could get off the bed. He had been nice enough to distract her during the procedure seeing she was nervous. "Thank you." She said as he helped her onto the floor while she tested out her stitched up leg. The doctor had numbed the section she had worked on so there was no pain thankfully.

Steve watched her cautiously, "You good?"

Chloe nodded, "I'm good."

"Okay," He led her to the door they had entered and walked out, heading towards the main building. "We're going to meet the Director in the conference room. Are you okay to walk?" He could see she was still favoring her left leg.

"I'm fine, I just don't want to be careless just because I can't feel it." She said staying focused, "Why are we going to the conference room? Please don't say to have a conference." She glanced over to him from the corner of her eye, a small smirk on her face to show she was being playful. She had no reason to be angry with Steve, which was going to be hard calling him, none of this was his fault.

Steve chuckled, "The Director wants to have a word with you."

But why? "Did I do something?"

"No, but there are things he'll want to explain to you himself."

She didn't really like that answer but she would go with it. "Alright."

When they arrived to the conference room Bucky was seated in one of the large black arm chairs around the long onyx oval table, if it could even be called that, and Fury was standing at the head of it, hands behind his back. Chloe glanced between the two of them before her eyes settled on Fury. He took a hand out from behind his back and gestured to a chair, "Take a seat, Ms. Norton." He said calmly.

This wasn't going to be a good talk. Taking a deep breath she pulled a chair out and took a seat being careful to move her leg out to keep it from pressing against the seat of the chair.

"I'll get right to the point Ms. Norton. I know you're familiar enough with Hydra that I don't have to go into great lengths explaining the situation at hand." He started to pace very slowly around the head of the table. "While S.H.I.E.L.D has nearly rectified Hydra, there are still some faithful followers which means you aren't in the clear yet. With our recent take down of their latest attack we caught wind, thanks to Agent Barnes, that they were looking to _recruit_ you again. We obviously couldn't allow that to happen. We are under the impression that until Hydra is completely eliminated, you won't be safe." He paused, gauging her reaction but she was stoic so he continued. "For your safety, we'll be placing you under our protection. Since you're familiar with him, Agent Barnes will be assigned to you. We've already sent Agents out to gather your belongings from your apartment and bring them here where we'll set up a living space comparable in size."

She had questions. Of course she did. But she was too afraid to speak now. She felt like with each word he spoke she was getting bound tighter and tighter, her hands were gripping each other so tightly they were beginning shake. Her gaze fell for a moment, trying to keep her breathing steady but feeling eyes on her she glanced over to Bucky who eyes flashed between hers and her hands. Breathe hitching in her throat she pulled her hands away from each other quickly, placing them in her lap now, keeping them apart.

"Ms. Norton?"

Her eyes flashed back to Fury and her brows rose slightly saying he had her attention without having to physically open her mouth.

"I was saying if you need to leave the facility at all, you are to be accompanied at all times but while you are here, you have a bit more freedom. You'll be here until we feel it safe for you and even then you'll still need to keep your assignment in order."

She spoke softly, "Okay."

The director seemed surprised, "Okay?"

Was he deaf? "Yes, I understand."

"No questions?" His eye flashed to James then back to her, too quickly for her to notice but Bucky saw.

"No sir. I'd just like to go to bed." She hadn't been sleeping well in the first place and then along with the unwanted company, no one could blame her. Not that she'd actually be able to sleep at this point.

"If any questions arise please don't hesitate to ask. You're all dismissed."

Chloe stood from the chair, too quickly and her step faltered but she caught herself on the table top. The numbing stuff wasn't long acting it seemed. She felt the stitches tugging at skin and it was painful.

Steve approached her, being the closes to her in the room, "Is your leg bothering you?"

Chloe shook her head, regaining her composure. "No, my knee just went out." She pushed the chair in and moved towards the main doors. "Can you show me where my room is please?" She turned her head in Bucky's direction without looking directly at him and he stood, complying wordlessly. She took a careful step forward and clenched her jaw as pain seared through her calf. Hopefully the room was close, she couldn't keep up the façade that it wasn't hurting.

Bucky pushed the doors open and waited for her, eyes falling to her leg, not bothering to be discreet about looking. He stared a moment, watching how she distributed her weight before his eyes rose to meet hers, narrowing when their gazes locked. When she reached him he waited for her to step out into the hall, leaving Steve and Fury in the room together as the door closed behind them. "We'll take the elevator."

She gave a nod, keeping close to the wall as the carried on down the hall. She stayed a few steps behind him to use the support of the wall silently. Weird didn't even begin to cover how she was feeling at the moment. Her eyes scanned the back of James and she held in a sigh. What was going through his mind right now? He hardly seemed effected by being around her again, like they had never been separated in the first place. But something was different about him now. The hyper-vigilant, self-preserving man she'd spent so much time with seemed more relaxed now. She didn't feel as on edge around him as she had before, like saying the wrong thing would set him off and that would be it for her. No, it was different now. A large part of her was relieved to see he was even okay. She had worried about his well-being once they parted. When they got on the elevator she leaned against the opposite wall, shifting her leg so one supported her weight and the other tilted back so her toes were pointed down and resting against the cold metal floor. She hadn't had time to put shoes on exactly so she was still barefoot, black shorts covering her legs, or some of them, and a hot pink oversized sweater.

"Your stuff should be here tonight so you can get a little more comfortable. They'll strip your apartment, bring everything here." He spoke calmly, eyes trained on her. He was trying not to be cold towards her, but he knew indulging her while she was being emotional was a mistake. Even though she wasn't expressing it, he knew there was a storm brewing. Then again, she could have changed in some way over the past eight months. But seeing how she was keeping silent about that leg told him otherwise.

When the elevator doors opened he reached his arm out towards her and waited. God, he really wasn't showing he'd changed much. Not that he really needed to but he didn't want her walking on egg shells around him, it was unnecessary. It was just easy to fall back into habit of being stoic since he didn't quite know how to act yet. Not much talking was needed on his end because he didn't have to. She understood his silent gestures but he didn't have to be silent now. "Let me help you."

Her eyes searched his warily, she seemed hesitant but he waited, only stick his other arm out to keep the doors from closing. With a sigh she moved over to him, wrapping her arm around his back and gripping his tucked in black shirt by his side as his arm slid around her waist, he was quickly reminded of their height difference but he didn't let it deter him. He just stepped out with her, supporting her easily. "My room will be beside yours. There's a door that connects the two rooms but that's just for emergencies." So he didn't want her walking in whenever she wanted and he definitely wouldn't be doing that to her.

She scoffed, "Emergencies." Was that something they were going to have to worry about?

"They happen." He paused in front of a metal door, he pointed to the key pad above the handle, "Give me your hand."

Chloe let her arm slip out from around him and gave him her left hand, "My room?"

"Yes."

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